2023 Issue 3 by Northdale Civic Association

WWW.NORTHDALE.ORG

MAY • JUNE 2023

NORTHDALE CIVIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER President’s Message Greetings to all Northdale residents and homeowners. I hope everyone is doing well and in good health. If you just joined our community, the Northdale Civic Association, Inc. (NCA) wants to take this opportunity to welcome you to the community. Northdale is a highly respected, low crime, family-oriented neighborhood that offers residents many amenities. Northdale businesses offer a wide variety of goods and services. Spring Easter Egg Hunt April 18th, 2023 – I want to recognize and thank NCA Board Member Martha Hughes and the incredible team from the Hillsborough County Parks, and Recreation Department for coordinating and successfully executed this year, Easter Egg Hunt. The event provided lots of fun and activities for the Northdale kids. The Easter bunny was available for pictures and handed out candy. Kids loved the egg hunt, bounce house and the sack race contes.

Thanks to all the Sponsors and volunteers that helped make this year Easter Egg Hunt a successful event for the Northdale community.

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President’s Message Continued... The 20th Northdale Family Fun Festival (FFF) & Parade April 22nd, 2023 – This year FFF & Parade was blessed with picture-perfect weather which brought out a large crowd of over 3,200 people to enjoy the parade, free food, games, music, and entertainment. This year we had the pleasure of having Commissioner Ken Hagan do the invocation, followed by Commissioner Johua Wostal and Hillsborough Tax Collector, Nancy C. Millan, to the stage to address the public with a few words. We also welcome for the third year, Annabelle DePolis to sing the National Anthem and God Bless America to kick of the 2023 festival. People from all over Hillsborough County and beyond came to Northdale Park and were impressed with our community. This was possible due to the generosity and commitment of the many supportive table sponsors, participating restaurants, and food vendors. Enjoy the gallery of pictures from the festival and parade. Northdale is a great place to live and to raise a family. Let's work hard to keep the high standard of living we enjoy in Northdale. If you are interested in volunteering, the Northdale Civic Association (NCA) has numerous committees that need assistance, including county relations, website development, event marketing, finances, advertising, and others. As always, residents are always welcome to attend the monthly In closing, want to give back to community? want to get involved in the community? If you answer yes to either question, then we have two distinct but equally important ways you can be a contributor to the greater Northdale communities. Being involved with NCA in either capacity will put you in a better position to make a difference in your community. The board has three vacancies to fill. Anyone interested in serving in the Northdale Civic Association, please contact me directly or attend our monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7 P.M. at Northdale Park in the Bill Castens Gymnasium. Sincerely, Nelson Marcano President, NCA NORTHDALE.ORG

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NORTHDALE SPECIAL DISTRICT Hello neighbors! I hope you all had the opportunity to attend the NCA’s Family Fun Festival & Parade. It continues to be the single greatest event in our exceptional Neighborhood. My family and I really enjoyed attending and it was nice to see and meet some new neighbors. Thank you to Nelson and the team at the NCA for putting this incredible family festival together. In the month of April, Merit Management sent a total of 128 violation letters. There are currently 202 open issues, 40 of which were newly opened in April. The most prevalent open issues are dirt, algae, mildew etc. on or around houses. Of the 202 open issues this violation includes 39 of them. We are also continuing to see cars parking in the grass or rights-of-way. As a reminder, we recommend parking on your driveway or on the street. We are going to be improving some of the island sections in the middle of Northdale Blvd. Be

on the lookout for some exciting new aesthetic features soon. We are also currently working with the Christmas light company. There will be some improvements for the upcoming holiday season, specifically at the entrance to Northdale from Dale Mabry Hwy. Last, the wall at Autumn Leaves Dr. was completed in the month of March. We would like to welcome the newest Governing Body Member of the Northdale Special Tax District, Paul Drake. He lives in the Fox Hollow Village and was appointed in the month of April. If you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to join our meetings on the 2 nd Tuesday of every month at 7pm in the Northdale Community Center. Thank you Tony Romano

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NORTHDALE SPECIAL DISTRICT WHAT is the NSD? The Northdale Special District is a Hillsborough County dependent tax district. The Northdale Special District was originally set-up under a State ordinance, but in 1992 was adopted under County ordinance #92-35. The County collects the taxes for the District and provides the ordinance or regulations that give authority to the District. Funds are derived from the County non-ad valorem tax of $130 per residential unit. Residents in single family homes, along with apartments and condominiums are assessed $130. Also, all properties within Northdale boundaries including businesses and other non-profit groups are taxed based on an equitable per residential unit basis. The Northdale Special District is responsible for maintaining the common areas throughout Northdale. These areas include the main entrances coming into Northdale, landscaping in common areas alongside roadways and medians, neighborhood entrances, the outer surface of the block walls and along the roadside. The Northdale Special District also maintains selected lakes and wetland areas along the main roadways in Northdale. The Northdale Special District is governed by a Board of seven trustees who are elected by the public or appointed by the Board. Board members must be registered

voters and reside in Northdale. The trustees receive no compensation for their work. The board has hired an administrator, Merit Management, to complete many of the day-to-day details of the Northdale Special District, including deed restrictions. The administrator is a sub-contracted (paid) position. The Northdale Special District, unlike the County, does NOT maintain roads, street lighting, street signs, installation of speed humps or animal safety concerns. These issues should be directed to Hillsborough County. The main purpose of the Northdale Special District is to keep Northdale a neat and attractive community. Although separate from the Northdale Civic Association, the Northdale Special District is partnering with the NCA in the enforcement of Deed Restrictions. Together, the Northdale Special District and the NCA will continue working towards their goal of

Northdale Special District Board of Trustees Tom Murray President Anthony Romano Vice President Anthony Rodriguez Treasurer Don Hachey Secretary Bill Castens Ronny Garcia Bill Loring Contact Information 813-381-5435 Northdale Special District 3433 Lithia Pinecrest Rd #301 Valrico, FL 33596 rick@meritfl.com Northdale Special District meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. Building B - game room Northdale Park & Rec Center 15550 Spring Pine Drive Tampa, FL 33624 Next meetings are: March 14, 2023 April 11, 2023

making Northdale a great place to live.

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WHAT IS THE NCA? The Northdale Civic Association is a volunteer organization whose mission is to make Northdale a better place to live and increase property values by enforcing the deed restrictions to which each homeowner is legally subject. The NCA is also the organized voice of Northdale, and represents residents when issues affecting Northdale are raised by Hillsborough County, the State of Florida and other governing bodies. The NCA issues this Newsletter and organizes the following events and programs: Welcome Wagon, Easter Egg Hunt, Community Garage Sales, Family Fun Festival, Northdale Pumpkin Run, Holiday Decorating Contest, Meet the Candidates, and the Northdale OWLS (Older, Wiser, Lively, Seniors). Board meetings are open to the public and held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month except December. HOW TO JOIN THE NCA Forms are available in each edition of the Northdale Newsletter. There are forms online at www.northdale.org. HOW TO JOIN THE BOARD ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP IS ONLY $50.00. All members are eligible to run for NCA Board positions in elections held each January. Elections for those positions are made by the sitting board at the monthly board meetings. The dates of those meetings are posted in the Community Calendar. NCA BOARD OFFICERS President: Nelson Marcano - Golf Club Estates II - 813-358-8132 Vice President: Anthony Rodriguez—The Hammocks - 813-358-8132 Secretary: Destiny O’Brien – Claywell - 813-358-8132 Treasurer: Bill Castens – The Woodlands - 813-358-8132

NCA BOARD DIRECTORS Nelson Marcano – Silverhill Gerald Johnson - Golf Club Estates I Robert Demeo – Golf Club Estates III Martha Hughes – Fox Hollow Hector Hernandez Jr. - Gables I Jesus Blasquez - Gables II Nelson Marcano - Gables III Alicia Moreno - Bay Levitt Graham Batte - Fairway Villas

Meeting Location Note: Northdale Civic Association & Northdale Special District meetings are held in Building B - game room Northdale Park & Rec Center 15550 Spring Pine Drive Tampa, FL 33624 March 7, 2023 April 4, 2023 OWLS Meeting 10:00 a.m.

DEED RESTRICTION VIOLATIONS The Deed Restriction documents for each of the “villages” that make up Northdale are available on the community website www.northdale.org. Select “Deed Restrictions” from the left side of the Main Page and click on the picture of the entrance to your “village” (e.g. Bay Levitt, Gables I, etc.) The deed restriction file will be displayed and can be printed off for your records. The NCA has contracted with Merit Management Association-Perfected (“Merit”) to conduct periodic neighborhood inspections and act on their findings of deed restriction violations. In addition, residents may request an investigation of a possible violation themselves from the Northdale website, www.northdale.org. From the left side of the Main Page, click on “Deed Restrictions”, page down and Select “Complaint Form” and fill it out with all pertinent information. A photo can be attached with the form to help document the problem. Select “Submit” to transmit the form directly to Merit at NCA@MeritFL.com. Deed Restriction Complaints must be in writing. When a deed restriction violation is found, Merit will send a letter to the homeowner(s) with a request to correct the problem(s). Merit will then complete a second inspection. Merit will send a second letter if the homeowner has not corrected the violation(s). Merit will then complete a third inspection. If the violation(s) remains after the third letter, legal action will be pursued. The resident will be notified of this step in the fourth letter. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent a homeowner from correcting the violation(s), it is recommended they document the reason by writing to Merit at NCA@MeritFL.com. The NCA will not get involved in conflicts between neighbors, animal complaints or landscaping issues due to drought. NORTHDALE.ORG

March 14, 2023 April 11, 2023 NSD meeting 7:00 p.m. March 21, 2023 April 18, 2023 NCA meeting 7:00 p.m.

Residents are always welcome and your input is truly appreciated.

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Monthly Meetings on 1st Tues 10 AM @ Northdale Park Our Mission is to create a growing network of co-ed seniors, to provide social activities, local events, travel, entertainment and educational seminars in common interest groups as ways to safely enjoy our lives. “Enjoy Spring”... Hot, Humid, Florida Weather Coming Soon! May 2, Tues – Enjoy Music from the 70’s & Orchids for door prizes at OWLS meeting! May 4, Thurs – Rays vs. Pirates baseball w supper at Ferg’s after game. GO RAYS! May 5, Fri – Whimsical Marietta Art Museum tour in Sarasota. May 10, Wed – Sunshine Skyway Bridge tour with Steve Womble, retired engineer. May 15, Mon - Bunco & Lunch at Brunchies, 14366 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. May 17, Mon – Lunch Bunch at La Teresita Restaurant (Separate Checks). May 25, Thurs - Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays & supper at Ferg’s after game. GO RAYS! May 17, Wed – Starkey Blueberry Farm – You pick and pay by quart. May 25, Thurs – Rays vs. Blue Jays baseball & supper at Ferg’s after game. GO RAYS! May 28, Sun – Memory Lane presented at Northdale Park by Plays-With-A-Purpose. May 30, Tues – Sponge Cruise in Tarpon Springs.

May 31, Wed – Lowry Park Zoo adventure (admission ticket good for 12 months). Jun 1, Thurs – Clearwater Beach (optional dip) & Lunch. Jun 2, Fri – Botanical paradise at Sunken Gardens. Jun 6, Tues – Summertime is Thomas P’s Bar & Patio hamburger time! Jun 19, Mon - Bunco & Lunch at Brunchies, 14366 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Jun 21, Wed - Lunch Bunch at Circles Bistro in The Village Shoppes (Separate Checks). Jun 28, Wed – Mystery Trip: EAST? WEST? NORTH? SOUTH? Jul 4th, Tues – SOME ACTIVITIES BUT NO MONTHLY MEETING AT PARK ON HOLIDAY.

For other scheduled events and more, See Owls website at: www.NorthdaleOWLS.com Weekly Activities include: Bill’s Blooming Orchid Buddies, Bridge, Hand & Foot Cards, Line Dancing, Mexican Train Dominos, Mah Jongg, Pickleball, Walking, Yoga for Seniors, Singing, Spanish Class, Tai Chi, Table Tennis, Tone & Stretch and Meals on Wheels! Got Questions? Talk to any member of the OWLS, Or contact James O’Hara at (813) 393-6043, Or contact Bill Castens at (813) 833-0102. NORTHDALE.ORG

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